Signal switch device



De@ 18, i951 A. K. scHLATTER SIGNAL SWITCH DEVICE Filed April 28, 1949 l 76% .75C 735 l' Y 78 4f E 78@ 74g Z Z266# ',.fC//C/l, /,f,/,Z.75

I 4V i 72 A n w 65 /70 (71 Patented Dec. 18, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SIGNAL SWITCH DEVICE Alfred K. Schlatter, Francesville, Ind.

Application April 28, 1949, Serial No. 90,232

4 Claims. 1

My invention relates to signals and deals witn the actuation of a timed regular signal and a subsequent special signal, and the object of the invention is to provide a novel control effective to operate the signals by means of an automatic switch device dependent on a single control.

A further object is to include a mechanism which restores the switch control to the original position after it has been actuated. A

With reference to the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a horizontal section of a support, showing the switch device;

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the device in a given position;

Fig. 3 is a similar view, showing a change in the position of the switch device; and

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view of an electrical circuit including the switch device.

Referring specifically to the drawings, 40 denotes the lamp comprising the regular signal and 8| a lamp comprising the special one. A current supply plug is shown at 3| and a magnet at 50. The plug is connected with one terminal 30 to a ground 28, while the other terminal 32 leads through a switch 23 to a conductor 26 which connects with the armature 5| of an electromagnet 50, continuing by way of a conductor Sla through the lamp 6| constituting the special signal to the ground. This circuit procures the lighting of the lamp 8| on the closing of the switch 23.

The conductor 26 also forms a branch circuit for the operation of the regular lamp 40 and a motor 4| instead of the lamp 6|. Thus, the conductor 25 is combined with an extension 46 leading to the terminal of a switch 48, the other terminal 49 thereof leading to one terminal of the electromagnet 50; and the other terminal of the latter is grounded. The armature 5| is adapted to break contact with the conductor 5|a on the energizing of the electromagnet 58 and engage a terminal 52 of a conductor 8| which leads to one of the terminals of the lamp 48 and motor 4|, the other terminals of these units being grounded. It is now apparent that the closing of the switch puts in action both circuits described above, but that the operation of the electromagnet 50 breaks the circuit of the special lamp 6|, so that only the lamp 40 and motor 4| remain in operation.

While the lamp 4U serves as a steady signal while the device is in operation, the motor serves as a timing medium for the same. Thus, the motor is of a type which is geared very low and calculated to turn its output shaft 60 one revolution during a period of three minutes. The action of the motor is designed in part to control a switch 48 in a manner to cut ofi the lamp 48 and the motor at the end of a given period and then turn on the lamp 6|.

Figs. 1 to 3 show the manner in which the motor contributes to control the switch 4B. It is noted that the output shaft 6D of the motor carries a cam 62. The switch casing 48 has a spring blade 63 above its push-pin 84, such blade being in the rotary path of the cam 62. The switch casing, pivoted at 85 to the motor 4|, is normally in the position shown in Fig. 2; and the extended position of the push-pin 64 indicates that the switch is closed, as shown in the circuit diagram. The switch casing is extended with an outwardly exible arm 10, which is subject to the upward pull of a light spring 1| attached by a screw 12 to a suitable support 13. A relay 15 is located behind the arm 10, the armature 16 of this relay being pivoted at 16a and normally rocked away from its magnet 11 by a spring 18. The armature carries a forwardly projecting plunger 19 which ends immediately behind the arm 10 as shown in Fig. l, the plunger 19 carrying the spring 18 between a stationary bracket 18a and a collar 18h backed by a crosspin 18e.

When the switch 23 is closed to turn on the lamp and the motor, the circuit involved extends to a conductor and through the magnet 11 of the relay 15 to the ground 29 with the effect of attracting the armature 16 and advancing the plunger 19. The latter action exes the arm 10 outwardly. In the meantime, the rotation of the motor cam 62 has brought its point to bear on the spring blade G3, which is sufflciently stiff to swing the switch casing 48 down a slight distance from the position of Fig. 2 while the arm 1D is still in front of the plunger 19 and under its exing inuence. However, as the cam point clears the blade 63, the spring 1| draws the blade up until it rides oi the plunger 19-as seen in Fig. 3- and therefore returns to its straight or normal form to assume a position over the plunger instead of in front of the same. Now, when the cam point again engages the blade 63 the switch casing 48 will be locked against depression by the plunger 19, and the iniiuence of the cam point will depress the push-pin 64 and open the switch.

The action just described will-when the circuit diagram is consultedde-energize the electromagnet 5U, allowing the armature 5| to back away from the contact post 52. The lamp 40 and net 11 oi relay 15, in which event the plunger 19 -recedes by force of the spring 18 and resumes its position immediately behind the arm 10. Now, with the motor shaft at rest, the arm yields downwardly to the projecting influence of the push-pin 64, and resumes its position opposite the plunger 19 as in Fig. 2.

While the above action might be accomplished by using the switch I8 in a stationary position and the cam 62 for influencing its push-pin, the depression of the latter would stop the motor by cutting oi the current, in which event the cam would keep holding the push-pin down, and manual attention would be required to again close the switch. In the present instance, however, the recession of the plunger 19 allows the switch 4l to yield to the pressure of the cam and allow the push-pin G4 to emerge. Now, the control is back in the original or reset position, and the next operative event nds the switch 48 initially yielding to the cam 62 to permit the motor to run the prescribed period.

I claim:

1: A circuit timer comprising a switch device, said device having an actuating element springurged to an extended position when the switch of said device is closed and depressible relatively to said device to open same, a member operable when driven t0 exert periodic depressing forces upon said actuating element, means controlled by said switch for driving said member, means yieldably supporting said switch device for bodily movement thereof in response to said periodic' forces, thereby to prevent depression of said actuating element relatively to said device, and an obstruction movable into a yposition to obstruct said bodily movement.

2. A circuit timer comprising a switch device, said device having an actuating element springurged to an extended position when the switch of said device is closed and depressible relatively to said device to open same, a member operable when driven to exert periodic depressing forces up'on said actuating element, means controlled by said switch for driving said member, second means yieldably supporting said switch for bodily movement thereof in response to said periodic forces, thereby to prevent the depression of said actuating element relatively to said device, a spring blade carried by the latter, a spring-backed plunger directed toward the blade, third means in said circuit` effective when the switch is closed to project the plunger endwise with a tensioning eilect on the blade during said movement. and

4 said second means effective to draw the blade of! the end of the plunger during an interval between said periodic forces, whereby to locate the blade over the side of the plunger and render the latter an obstruction to said bodily movement of the switch device.

3. The structure of claim 2. said member including a rotary cam with an eccentric portion, and a follower for said cam serving as an abutment for said actuating element, the depression of the latter at the end of said interval operating to open the switch and de-energize both said driving means and said third means resulting in the self-retraction of the plunger, and the yielding movement of the switch device as the actuating element bears during its closing movement on said follower operating to restore the blade to a position to become tensioned as stated.

4. A circuit timer comprising a switch device, said device having an actuating element springurged to an extended position when the switch of said device is closed and depressible relatively to said device to open same, a member operable when driven to exert periodic depressing forces upon said actuating element, means controlled by said switch for driving said member, second means yieldably supporting said switch for bodily movement thereof in response to said periodic forces, thereby to prevent the depression of said actuating element relatively to said device, and means for inducing the depression of said actuating element to open said switch and de-energize the means for driving said member comprising a spring blade carried by the device, a springbacked plunger directed toward the blade, means in said circuit effective when the switch is closed to maintain the plunger in endwise tensioning engagement with the blade during said movement, and said second means effective to draw the blade oi the end of the plunger during an interval between said periodic forces, whereby to locate the blade over the side of the plunger and render the latter an obstruction to said bodily movement o the switch device.

ALFRED K. SCHLA'I'IER. l

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Hoover Aug. 19, 1941 

